Care funding is a postcode lottery, say Which?

New research by consumer advice service Which? has found there are huge variations in funding that local authorities provide for residential care.

The amount of funding you or your loved one could receive to help towards paying for residential care can vary enormously, according to where you live.

That’s what new research from consumer champions Which? claim, after submitting a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to 180 local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

They discovered that authorities in the south of England and London had the highest standard weekly rate that they would contribute to care funding, while they were lowest in the north. This of course makes sense, as care homes in the south are likely to be more expensive than those in the north of the country, where living costs tend to be lower.

However, even within London, rates could vary by as much as £138, even between neighbouring boroughs. They found that Bromley paid £555 per week, while Croydon paid £417 per week, despite them being next door to each other.

Living in a care home can cost up to £1000 per week, and half of residents have part of all of their fees paid by the local authority. However, many people have to top up this contribution themselves, meaning they could face potentially high bills in areas where the local authority pays a lower proportion of the full costs.

For more information on what funding is available for you to help with care for your loved one with dementia, click here.